


Strategy in Motion

by Okami01



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Dimiclaude Week (Fire Emblem), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, POV Claude von Riegan, Post-Time Skip, Soul Bond, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-04-22 15:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22185736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okami01/pseuds/Okami01
Summary: In the middle of Gronder Field, in the middle of the war, Claude wants Dimitri to survive. He devises a strategy but it's hard to tell if it will work. - Soul mates Au Prompt for Dimiclaudeweek2020
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 20
Kudos: 66





	1. Soul Mates

The field of battle wasn't the place to find your soulmate. Gronder Field wasn't a romantic place. Claude wasn't supposed to get distracted by things like these. His chest hurt. No, hurt wasn't the right word. There weren't words to describe it. The pain nulled at him. Blurred his vision and made his heart face. Worse than any pain he'd ever experienced before.

Dimitri was staring at him. No, not at Claude. Past him. Glaring at Edelgard. Where her army was off in the distance. Alliance soldiers clashed with both empire and kingdom soldiers. 

Claude's wyvern flew forward. Dimitri threw a spear in his direction. 

The words from a book he'd read echoed in his mind.  
Soul mates. Everyone has one. Though some go through their whole lives without meeting them. Sometimes romantic, sometimes platonic. They're the people you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with.  
Claude hadn't believed it. Even if he had, there hadn't been any time to care about it. Romance, destined friendships supposedly everlasting, were the last things on his mind. He had his own dreams. His soul mate could wait.

Evidently, they could not.

Whenever he and Dimitri spared, he felt something. Every blow. Every time they spoke to each other, they ate together, saw each other roaming the monastery. He'd felt something, sure. At the time he'd thought it was the only attraction. Lust, maybe. And that was fine. Things were fine how they were. 

Then suddenly they weren't. For all the time they were apart, all the fights and betrayals that he'd seen in the past five years, the sensation in Claude's heart had never dulled. 

When they had been together in the monastery, it was usually warm and light. Then it was choking him, painful and burning.  
Now here Dimitri was, alive. Angry and caught up in his own vengeance. Did he feel the pain as well? Or was Claude being irrational? Was he imagining that someone like Dimitri might be his soul mate?

If this war went on for much longer he'd never know. Someone was going to get killed. Claude wasn't going to let it be himself. Dimitri was set on killing Edelgard. Claude needed the pain to stop.

" This is certainly the worse reunition in history," Claude said, jumping off his wyvern and rolling on the ground. He got up, barely dodging another one Dimitri's attacks.

" Don't stop me, Claude. Move out of my way. I will kill you."

His eye was dark. He looked grave, worse for the wear. What has this war done to him?

As if his words themselves were weapons that physically affected Claude, he struggled to catch his breath. 

Surely killing your soulmate was frowned upon.

"Dimitri listen. We don't have to fight," Claude's voice nearly broke." 

To himself, mostly he growls. " I won't let you die. Not like this."

Dimitri stabs at him with his lance. 

Claude lets out a tired sigh and draws his bow. " Why does it have to be like this?" He wonders.  
It doesn't matter. He just needs to find a way to stop it. Fix things. No matter how broken apart they are. What good are schemes if you don't have the chance to use them? 

Dimitri dodges, even in his frenzied state. Claude feels his heat, his anger, and bloodlust. He'd told Hilda to hold off enemy troops and he can only assume she's still doing so.

It's a bloody dance of sorts, one false move and he'll be another casualty on these already bloodied planes. 

They're by the river now. There isn't any time to reassess his plans, second guess himself. It's a plane full of holes and too many emotions. He shouldn't be staking so much on whatever this is. 

" Is this… really what you want, Dimitri," Claude huffs. 

Dimitri doesn't stop, Claude doesn't expect him too.  
They're right at the base of the river now, Claude can feel the water rushing at his back. 

" All that time at the academy… I know five years can really push people apart… Still, for all that, I'd hoped to be in the category of people your not trying to kill."  
Words that may very well not be reaching Dimitri's ears. Claude finds that he has to keep talking, to keep himself from thinking about how terrible things could go more than anything else 

Dimitri swings his lance again with the same fervor as before? How much longer can he go at this?  
" How naive we were… back then… how stupidly unaware." Dimitri growls.

" I will kill her. I will have her head. I will have yours as well if you continue to interfere." 

" Ahh I'd rather you not."

Then he can hear it, along with the sound of water and steel clanging. The high pitched whine of something else.

" About time," Claude mutters. He knocks another arrow. This one is different, dipped in a sedative. How long had he spent trying to work Dimitri into his plans, hoping he was alive and planning for the impossible.  
There's an explosion behind him, hot flames surround the two of them. Claude struggles to steady his aim, he can't hit any vital organs. 

" I'm sorry," Claude thinks. " I hate to do this." He loses the arrow. 

Dimitri looks unfazed. Unconcerned with the calamity around them. He has to get to Edelgard at any cost. Practically drops his bow as he tackles Dimitri. He can hear growls, a whine but he doesn't let go. They both lose their footing and tumble into the water. 

There's so much to account for. Battles that still need to be won. Plans that must be executed. Dreams that need to be pursued. How easily it could all fall apart. 

Claude and the feral king fall into the ice-cold water. He's sure he's imagining the pain in his chest subside. If anything, it should only grow worse. 

Dimitri won't listen. Claude thinks he might have bitten him. What if the drug won't kick in? What if they both drown. Dimitri won't listen to reason? The Adrestren empire kills them both? Hilda had asked. Normally Claude would know. He'd know risks and pick a less risky plan.  
There wasn't anything less risky, less desperate that he could do. Whether or not he wanted to argue that it was the whole soul mates thing making him act like this or if he just wanted to save Dimitri, he wasn't sure. 

They fell into the water, the current pulling them away from the battle. He could hear his comrades fighting. Now was not the time for a strategic retreat. No, they were strong. They would be ok. They would all have to be ok.

" I don't know ... if you're listening to me Dimitri, but we have to make it through this."


	2. Dampened Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claude continues to try and rescue Dimitri.

Claude and Dimitri fell into the river. Sounds of war and bloodshed disappearing in favor of rushing water. Claude had never been a terrible swimmer but Dimitri was heavy and unconscious. Which was how it had to be because apparently, Dimitri thought he needed to kill Claude. Something unpleasant yet understandable in a way, they were at war. 

But they didn't need to be at war with each other.   
There was mud in his mouth. Claude was wet, cold, and sore all over the place. Still, he didn't have anyone to blame but himself.  
His chest felt tight, soulmate magic nonsense, or his own stupid feelings and sentiment. 

Claude took a breath. Whatever it was, it was his own fault he and Dimitri were here. And he wasn't going to die after coming this far.

He dragged Dimitri out of the river and walked as far as he could until he felt his legs about to buckle out from under him. The stars were out, thankfully. If he looked at them for long enough, he could figure out exactly where they were. Probably somewhere in Adresta. Which was just such an amazingly terrible place to be at the moment if you were anyone who sided with the Alliance or Kingdom. 

Needless to say the King of Faerghus and Leader of the Leicester Alliance. were not the people who should be here. It doesn't matter how strong they are, they're outmanned in unfamiliar territory. Yet another thing that Claude considered and decided to keep going on with his plan anyway. 

If they can get back to Leicester, fantastic. Even Faerghus would be good. No one would be particularly thrilled around there to know their king has been kidnapped. But being kidnapped was better than dead. Anywhere was better than Adresta. And despite the war and need to protect his friends here, there was a part of Claude who just wanted to go back to Almyra. They think everyone un Fodlan is acting crazy and while Claude might be trying to bridge the gap now, he's almost inclined to agree. 

A terrible headache, chills, and lack of sleep will do that to a person. 

Claude started a fire somehow. Found shelter in the trees. The ache in his chest was still there. Maybe a little less so because Dimitri was sleeping. 

Claude watched Dimitri sleep. So peacefully that he almost felt bad tying his hands behind his back. The drug only lasted so long. And unless Dimitri has some sort of life-altering dream, he's going to try and kill Claude again.   
His bow clings to his side like a ton of bricks. It was far too late, but whoever designed the hero's relics really should have made them lighter. 

Claude hid Dimitri's lance nearby. Who knows, maybe Dimitri will wake up and carry it himself next time peacefully. The thing is heavy as hell but in the event that Dimitri does come around, they'll be better armed. Not that Claude doesn't think he can't and won't strangle him to death if given the chance. There's so much uncertainty right now. 

Great. Claude sighs. He watches Dimitri's chest rise and fall. They'd been up close before. Before when they were younger. Having fun and dancing at balls. Life used to… well it used to not be like this. Not covered in mud and bruises and scars. Well, sometimes it'd been like that. After fighting, bandits, and the like for the churches and Almyra wasn't always the prettiest picture. Still,  
It was different now. War hit harder than any fight. It wasn't only physical. The mental strain. The stress of losing a battle and losing the people you cared about. Years of work for nothing plans falling to ruin. Failure. Death. None of it was good. 

The last time they were this close, Claude was pushing Dimitri into a river. Rocky treacherous and unwieldy. Dimitri was trying to stab him in the stomach. What a great reunion. The first time they'd been close, it was at Garreg Mach. Learning together. Living the lives of teenagers with turbulent yet manageable lives. At least Claude thought they'd been managing things. 

Dimitri is handsome, Claude thinks. He's bigger and stronger looking. And Claude wonders if that's the whole soul mark nonsense talking or if it's really true. Dimitri lost an eye. Or something like that. His eye patch is still in place through it's damp. Claude isn't in any rush to move it. He looks more haggard than usual. Even more so at the moment. Covered in dirt, scraps, and mud. 

Dimitri is… he was a prince. So was Claude technically. It didn't matter either way. No one should have to go through anything like this. 

If Claude didn't keep thinking about something, then he'd fall asleep. And then he'd wake up dead. No… he must be getting a little loopy. You can't wake up dead. Also shouldn't fall in love with potential enemies. Or at least people who can and would kill you without a second thought. 

He could rest, maybe just for a little bit, against a tree. No, better to climb it.

___.

Then Dimitri woke up. After way to short a time, Claude wasn't quite asleep. Eye widening, and making a growling sound.   
Claude jolted up, trying to seem like he hadn't" Fancy seeing you here."

" Where am I?" Dimitri growls. 

Hello to you too, Claude thinks, holding back a sigh. 

" Well… I thought it would be better to talk someplace where we aren't trying to kill each other." Claude shrugs. And Dimitri tugs at his bonds. Of course, he isn't happy with the answer. Claude isn't sure how much he should tell him. 

There isn't a lot to explain. Not anything that doesn't sound crazy. Besides the fact that he's decided to do something stupid with little planning.   
" You know… we don't need to fight. The Kingdom and Alliance aren't enemies. We could-"

Dimitri sits up and glares at him. 

" Join forces," Claude continues when Dimitri doesn't say anything.   
"I don't know what happened to you… Not really… I'm sure it was awful. Beyond words. The Empire is… well it's pretty messed up isn't it."

The only reason Claude knew Dimitri might have been alive was because of his soulmate curse. The pain was faint and sharp near his heart. Of course, the thought of your former classmate getting executed for a crime you didn't think they committed wasn't the best feeling. 

And just like that, Dimitri breaks the ropes. Unsurprising. The snap is loud. Had he activated his Crest or was it just natural strength. The only other noise is the raging of the river. 

Claude inhales, he'd been expecting this of course. Which didn't do much good. Expecting your former classmate to kill you wasn't much to look forward to.  
Dimitri charges. Surely he can climb up after Claude. Claude points his bow downward and moves away. He's quicker at least and the drug still hasn't worn off entirely. 

He knocks an arrow. " I'd like us to be able to talk about this…"

" I'm going to kill her."

Edelgard, Claude thinks tiredly. There's a long line and now might not be the right time to step in it.

Claude replies in a strained but calm voice. " You're going to die… if you go alone."

" I will not rest until I have her head on a pike."

Claude looked down. Resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It wasn't that he wasn't upset. After what Edelgard had done to his friends and former classmates. To Fodlan. To Faerghus and the Leicester Alliance. 

Still, Dimitri ignoring how grave the situation is, and charging into battle can only do so much good. He needs a strategy. He needs a lot of things. Claude doesn't know if he can give them to him, but he's decided to try for now. 

" I understand, " Claude finally said, all traces of a smile gone. " Charging after her blindly isn't going to help things either. I want… to help you."

Claude didn't fully understand Edelgard or Dimitri's motives. Edelgard hated the church. That was fine. Plenty of people did. She wanted to destroy the Crest system. There wasn't anything wrong with change. The way it's being brought about… that's not good.   
Dimitri wants revenge for something Claude doesn't fully understand. 

He did know that if this went on for much longer Dimitri was going to get himself and all the people who followed him killed. Claude was going to have to fight Edelgard himself most likely. She wasn't going to yield. Or maybe she would. Maybe Dimitri would forgive her. Probably not.   
It's easy to dream but right not, he needs to be realistic,

Too many probabilities. Too many uncertain odds. Claude hated it. And no matter how hard he and his army fought, they couldn't guarantee their victory. The dream he'd strived so hard for was slowly slipping away from him and he wasn't going to let that happen. 

Teaming up with Dimitri could be extremely helpful. More people. More power. Better odds.

Claude jumps down from the tree against his better judgment. 

" I want to help you," he repeats. " We both want the same thing, more or less. So we should team-up. If you want revenge so badly, then you could consider it."

Dimitri glares at him. Gods, he was always tall and muscular but now he looks even more so. 

" I do not want your help." Maybe Claude is imagining it but it seems like there's more that Dimitri wants to say. Claude waits and when Dimitri doesn't say anything he starts again. 

" I don't want to drug you again, either your princeliness but I will." Claude glares back.   
He doesn't want to hurt Dimitri. He also doesn't want him to run into Adresta by himself and get killed.

Dimitri grabs for his neck. Claude moves out the way, expecting it. Dimitri's movements are still jerky and as fate would have it, almost getting assassinated multiple times does wonders for avoiding other attempts. 

He presses a mini bow into Dimitri's side. The spot next to his heart stings, as if his body can't bear the thought of hurting his soulmate. Claude screams internally. Yeah, I don't want to kill him either but I'd also like to not die. 

If the Goddess was out there, she could take her whole soulmate system and her crests and political turmoil and go jump off of something very high. 

" Get out of my way, Claude. Or I will kill you."

Claude laughs, despite himself. " I believe it… But if you kill me…. then I'll die too. Can you feel that pain in your chest? It isn't just because of the war or whatever terrible things happened to you in the past five years. We're soulmates."

Claude tries to keep his voice even. Fearing for your life will do wonders for your skills at lying. 

Dimitri tenses even more somehow. " Soulmates?" And all the anger disappears, replaced with confusion. 

It comes right back. "I don't believe you."

" Great. But if you're really curious…. If you kill me and you die too then you won't be able to kill Edelgard will you? We'll both be dead and she'll be alive."

Maybe he can appeal to Dimitri's sense of wanting revenge. The way he's acting, he doesn't care about his life. Revenge isn't something to live your entire life for. Claude understands though. 

He's always been a schemer. It's what he did to survive. It usually worked. Things are even harder now. The spot next to his heart continues to rage, as if unhappy with his choices. Well, his heart is going to have to deal with it. If Claude could be sitting down with Dimitri reminiscing over the good times then he would. Things weren't like that anymore. They'd both changed. Claude had to take risks. Be more calculating, decisive, charming. Whatever stops he needed to pull out to win this war, he would pull them.

If Dimitri wouldn't listen to him and he had to drag him back to Garreg Mach himself, then he would. And sure, Dimitri would be just as mad as he was now, but at least Claude wouldn't have to worry about his army and Adresta practically breathing down his back.

" So maybe you can-"

Dimitri pushes him down to the ground suddenly. " Show me," he growls. 

Claude has to know idea what Dimitri is talking about.   
Then Dimitri is practically ripping Claude's shirt off. Trying to touch his chest.

How could Claude have been so stupid? No, sometimes fearing for your life did things to your memory. If you touch your soulmate in the place that you're linked, you get confirmation.

Maybe he hadn't thought about it because it sounds idiotic. Not that Claude wants to judge anyone's customs. Things in Fodlan often seemed strange. He wasn't one to believe in curses or anything like that. 

Yet, as Dimitri tore open Claude's shirt, it was warm. Dimitri's hand was damp and dirty. They both were. War and river diving had a way of doing that to a person.   
Claude felt his heartbeat slow and then quicken. He felt everything around him cool and heat up.   
He saw flashes of red, felt drenched in blood. If his soul mate had been someone else, would this all look different?  
Perhaps? He can't think much about anything else. Besides Dimitri. He feels heavy, pained, like one of his eyes, has sunken in.   
He feels like screaming. 

Dimitri pulls away. Claude realizes this when he feels the painless severely. It's still there, as is the warmth. Only it's muted now.

Claude takes a breath he didn't know he was holding in. He's sitting. Unsure if he was sitting or standing before this. Dimitri is sitting too. With his mouth open in horror and his eye wide and watery. 

He makes a choking sound. Stands up and huffs.   
" You'll die if I die." It's not quite a question but he doesn't seem very sure. As if he's still deciding if he cares or not. Claude cares about his own life. It's unclear how soulmate stuff works, if true or not. Still, Claude cares about Dimitri's life as well.

" I'll help you kill Edelgard," Claude says. His chest clinches tight. Whether it's Dimitri or Claude and his uncertainty that he wants to do what he just said, he isn't sure.

He doesn't have all the facts or answers. It bothers him. 

Dimitri starts to trudge through the mud. Claude follows him. He doesn't know how long this fragile peace will last. Maybe long enough to get to a place with people not trying to kill them.

And he'll probably regret it but, he stops and shoves Dimitri's lance in his hands. Dimitri doesn't kill him so that's a step in the right direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I started writing this a while ago and I finally had some time to spare so here we are.


	3. Treacherous Treks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Claude wants to keep himself and Dimitri alive. Tries to make sense of everything, tries and sort of succeeds in keeping a positive outlook. Though almost anyone is more positive than Dimitri at the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW for a not that detailed thing about fishing, general pessimistim and depression

They still walked along the water's edge. It was night. Dimitri and Claude's relics Crest stones glimmered eerily in the darkness. 

Claude kept looking up at the stars. They were still in Adrestia. Dangerous territory of course. Depending on where you go, some places in the Kingdom and Alliance aren't much better.

Lorenz is only doing what his father wants him to. What won't get their people killed. Claude gets it, he also doesn't want to die. He doesn't want to align himself with Edelgard right now either. Which is partially why he's here in the first place. 

The Kingdom isn't exactly safe in some places. Half the nobles there sided with Edelgard after a near coup. They'd displaced Dimitri and now Cornelia ran the Kingdom. So, it wasn't like they could rely on her. Who knew who they could rely on in Faerghus. Sure, Claude went to school with some of them but that clearly didn't mean they wouldn't kill him if it furthered their cause. 

Edelgard planned well, something Claude admired and also wished she hadn't. He didn't have many cards to play or places to play them. 

At least Dimitri was alive. Sort of listening and maybe they'd be able to do some good together. 

Dimitri looked off to the right. " We're near the Oghma mountains."

Claude isn't exactly sure how he knows that. Dimitri has obviously developed some talents in the five years they haven't seen each other. 

" Wolves," he growls. 

Claude's chest aches in pain. 

" Have you fought them before?"

" Yes."

Claude can imagine. Dimitri was always strong at the academy. Breaking things sometimes. When his Crest activated, it was dangerous. He hadn't seemed all that dangerous himself though

Maybe Claude should have paid better attention. He should have noticed. He thought he was better at reading people. Dimitri was well mannered, kind, considerate. Sort of a dork. After Edelgard betrayed them, in that last fight at Garreg Mach, Claude assumed his bloodlust was shock from the betrayal. 

Five years. Darkness, presumably living in the woods.

" Did you ever contact anyone in Faerghus?"

Dimitri doesn't stop walking. He doesn't turn around. He tenses a bit in his shoulders and Claude can feel it there too.   
" No. Why are you asking?"

Because it's terrible to think that you've been wandering around in the wilderness for years after being accused of murdering your presumed only blood relative. Because it's terrible to think that you can't rely on your friends, Claude knows what that's like. He wishes he didn't but that feeling has always been there. 

Because it would help them immensely to know who in the Kingdom they can rely on. Where it was safe. Dimitri had friends at Garreg Mach. Thinking about the place makes Claude feel a whirlwind of emotions that he pushes down. 

Felix and Rodrigue Fraldarius, Sylvain Gautier, Ingrid Galatea, Annette Dominic. They were all nobles with territories 

It would be nice if Mercedes, Ashe, and Dedue were alright as well. 

Though Ashe had taken up a post with count Rowe who was not on Dimitri's side at the moment. Dedue was presumed dead as well. When he was captured with Dimitri. Though Dimitri was alive now so maybe so was he. 

" Just curious." He replies, almost lost in thought. 

" Don't be," Dimitri hisses. Claude doesn't take it personally. 

" It would be nice if we could know who to trust," Claude says in as calm and even a tone as he can muster. 

Dimitri whips his head around so fast that Claude is sure they're an enemy attack. He looks behind him and, nothing. Looks back to see Dimitri glaring at him. His shoulders tensed as if ready for attack.

" There isn't anyone that I can trust," Dimitri says. " Dedue… he sacrificed his life for my own. More death that must be atoned for."   
He doesn't look at Claude when he says the last part. Off into the distance. Before his attention snaps back.

" I would not trust anyone. If I encounter them and they say they are for my cause then I will use them. If not, I will kill them. Some of the nobles in your territory sided with her. Who knows where else she has her vile influence over."

On one hand, this is the longest Dimitri has spoken in a while. On another, it's all incredibly bleak and depressing. 

" Those who followed me to Gronder are those who cling to ideals that are no longer in this world. But it doesn't matter as long as I kill her."

More silence, and then,

"The death of my uncle is my fault. His blood is also on my hands. I was not the one who slaughtered him."

And with that, Dimitri turns back around. Starts to move again. Claude's chest aches and it must be Dimitri's influence. 

I'm sorry, Claude wants to say. Though he can practically hear Dimitri say that he doesn't want pity. It's clearly bothering Dimitri. Judging by his face. the way he's speaking, the pain that won't leave Claude's body because of the soul mark link. 

Maybe it's also an effect of the soul mark link. But they were friends, weren't they?  
Claude wishes Dimitri would have come to him. 

Sure, everyone in Leicester would have been suspicious with an enranged scraggly one-eyed man roaming through. But, Claude thinks he would have understood. He thinks that if Dimitri would have come to him for aid, he would have given it. Who knows what other outcomes the past holds. In any case, it makes Claude upset. 

Dimitri is suffering. Claude has no idea how to alleviate that feeling. For both of their own goods. He hates not having a plan. The only options seem impossible. Dimitri has made it perfectly clear that he'll only be satisfied when he kills Edelgard. Not even happy. Satisfied. And isn't that depressing?

" I'm sorry," Claude says anyway.

Dimitri doesn't turn around. 

Dimitri does glare down at the water. And suddenly, he steps in, halfway submerged, growling and thrashing. 

He picks up a fish and throws it at one of the tree trunks. Three big silver ones flop uselessly on the ground. 

Dimitri smiles coldly. His eye glinting in triumph. He steps out of the water in one quick motion. His hair is partially wet, as is the fur around his cloak. 

" There's probably an easier way to do that."

" They were right there. They can sense of relics presence. A monstrous weapon. It is better by hand."

It's cold and it's the middle of the night. Not that Claude isn't hungry and impressed but still. 

" You could still get sick," Claude says. As he looks at Dimitri's clothes that are wet once again. Dripping. The water is dark and dirty. Dimitri probably hasn't taken a bath recently. 

.He looks like he's about to eat one raw.

" There has been worse."

" I don't doubt that." Claude allows himself to sigh. " Let me cook them anyway."

Because having been through worse shouldn't mean potentially exposing yourself to viruses and disease if you can avoid it.

__  
It's times like these when Claude wishes he'd practiced his magic more. There's dry enough wood that he can probably light a fire. With as cold as it is and the fact that Dimitri is partially wet, they could definitely use a fire

He looks off into the distance. The Oghma Mountain range looms ahead. The water keeps running and it will no doubt collide with the mountains. It's the tail end of the range but as Dimitri said. Wolves. At night, in the dark, exhausted with little food. They're lucky that it's the Great Tree Moon. It's not remotely as warm as it is in Alymra but it'll have to do. 

Claude doesn't even want to think of Almyra. The warm sand, wyvern flapping in the distance. A nice cool clear glass of water. Something that he desperately needs now. They'll die of thirst before they die of starvation. 

Unless wolves or bandits or any of the enemy armies come and kill them. 

It's thoughts like that that make Claude really wish he was back in Alymra. 

There are still things he wants to do in Fodlan. Things that must be done. 

No doubt there are Empire soldiers stationed at the border of Leicester. They were there when Claude was there last. It would be nice if they left. No doubt the path would be bloody and may very well end in death. Maybe Edelgard directed more of her tropes to Gronder, hoping to crush Dimitri's army. 

He looks back to the Oghma Mountains. Wolves, bandits, potentially whatever horror was at Garreg Mach. So that was a fun choice as well. 

Even Dimitri realized that, ridiculously enough, the wolves were the better option. Only he was marching forward with one of the fish in his hands. 

Oh and now that Claude thought about it. The battle of Gronder was probably over by now. He didn't know how disheveled the three armies were after the fight but if Edelgard had any sense, which unfortunately she did, she would send some of her soldiers after Claude and Dimitri.

" Dimitri," Claude called. He'd bristled before when Claude called him, 'your princeliness.' The memories of the past had to be painful for Dimitri too, as awful as things were now. 

Trying to keep the uncertainty and growing despair out of his voice. Things were already bleak enough, negativity wasn't going to help him think clearly. 

Dimitri didn't stop. Claude supposed he was done talking. 

" We need to stop and cook these. If you get a virus and die, then so will I."

Dimitri stopped. He makes a sort of a growling noise. " If that woman's army is at our heels, there is no reason to stop."

Maybe it isn't that Dimitri doesn't want to talk to him. He just only wants to talk about revenge and bloodshed. Fun. 

" What do you want to do then?"

Dimitri blinks. Almost as if he's startled. Maybe he isn't used to people asking what he thinks. He frowns. Claude thought he was frowning before. Dark circles that have formed under his eye aren't doing him much good. 

His eyebrow furrows. And finally, he speaks. 

" The mountains." He turns back around. " If there are wolves, we chase them away. Or kill them. I will kill the bandits we encounter."

He sounds sure of himself. Claude looks at the mountain range. He's alright on foot. They can probably make it up the mountainside alright. Or at least without dying outright. What's on the other side may very well change the outcome. But they need to find somewhere safer to camp than out in the open. 

Claude thinks a quick thought for his wyvern. It'd be nice to have her around. She's probably mad to have been left behind. Hopefully, she isn't giving Hilda too much trouble. Hopefully, Hilda was alright. She had to be. 

Better not to think about things that can't be changed right now. 

Which reminds him, Dimitri looks tired. Haggard. The battle of Gronder probably didn't do any help, especially after what's been happening for the past five years. 

Claude almost asks, are you feeling ok. He knows better than to do that.

" Alright," he replies. Holding back a sigh. 

He picks up a couple sticks. And by some miracle, still remembers how to light a fire. In his haste, he nearly scorches his hands. As he starts to walk, cooking one of the fish as he goes, Dimitri nearly scorches his hands. 

Compromise. Claude thinks dully. With himself. With Dimitri. With the wilderness that doesn't care if they live or die. 

He stomps the fire out as soon as he can. Which is regrettable considering the warmth it held. 

Dimitri inhales. Barely chewing. He makes a sort of pleased sound and drops bones as he walks. 

It's not the worst thing Claude has ever had to eat, especially in Fodlan. It's burnt and almost smoldering. But he's thankful for the protein 

Claude doesn't expect any thanks which is good because he gets none. The pain in his chest does dull a little. 

The mountains get closer and closer until the path grows rocky and treacherous. Until sharp reddish boulders are close enough to touch. 

The pain in Claude's chest comes back all over again.   
Almost as painful as the mountain climb is. All jagged rocks and excruciating upper body strength that he barely has to give.   
___

They're halfway up the mountainside. It's still night, which is good because if imperial archers were chasing them, there wouldn't be a lot Claude or Dimitri could do to hide. 

Claude's knuckles are bloodied and bruised. His gloves are long since torn and discarded. His lip is cut. Who knew mountain climbing was such a fun activity?

He thinks about his teachers in Garreg Mach. Thankfully they never made anyone's class scale mountains before. Or maybe it wasn't a good thing. They'd be more prepared. Garreg Mach put them through hell in other ways of course. Life in the Alliance and Almyra wasn't always a picnic. Nothing was as bad as war.

Maybe things would have been better if Edelgard had become a professional mountain climber. She wouldn't have been so focused and able to strategize about war.   
Maybe they would have been better if Claude and Dimitri both died in a mountain climbing accident. Better for her anyway.

Claude's thoughts turn as dark as the circles under Dimitri's eye. So he's almost thankful for when scaling the mountain gets so difficult that he can barely think at all, besides keep climbing, steady your breathing. That sort of thing. 

Claude does wonder, after they've made it to some even ground, how Dimitri made it up the mountain with his armor on.   
Dimitri is only human. Perhaps his overwhelming strength is the work of his crest or his bloodlust and tenacity or both. 

They both sit up against a rock. Hearts racing, panting. It's not a pleasant feeling to be this soaking wet with sweat.

" We made it," Claude says. Still slightly out of breath. 

Dimitri merely grunts. 

Thankfully, he doesn't get up to keep going. Claude looks down. The slope is steep. It would be great to get back to the Alliance. Where the number of people trying to kill him is slightly shorter. Still, Claude is only human too and if they have to face bandits or wolves, he'd like to be at least partially coherent doing that. 

" Two hours… We should rest for that long." Claude simply says. Suggests. Hope's that Dimitri will sit still long enough that some respite will occur. 

Dimitri grunts again. He doesn't close his eye.

" I can take first watch." Claude continues. 

Dimitri's gaze is unfocused, staring off into the distance again. Claude doesn't know what he's thinking about but judging by the pain all throughout his body it can't be anything good. 

Claude would like to say, ' It's ok, you can trust me.' He doesn't think Dimitri's trust is something so easily earned. He's not trying to kill Claude and that's a step in the right direction. Not killing someone and trusting them were two different things. 

Dimitri does close his eye. Claude is so startled that a grim part of him wonders if Dimitri is still in the realm of the living, so to speak. 

The pain in Claude's chest lessens a bit. Dimitri's chest rises and falls. He's sleeping. 

Claude smiles to himself. Then it occurs to him that there isn't really any way of telling how many hours have gone by. Out up on a mountain. 

He fights to keep sleep from overtaking him. That's an issue to worry about later. 

He looks up at the stars, nearly fading in the almost daybreak light, smiling again. They're nearly at Garreg Mach.

___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thanks for reading! I have almost no idea what the Oghma mountains are like but I hope they're like that.
> 
> @Tavitay on Twitter!


	4. Frenzied Forests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claude and Dimitri continue their journey towards the monastery with a couple more bumps along the road.

" Never been so happy to see the back of a mountain in my life," Claude says idly.

He turned once, to face it before moving back around. Dimitri hasn't stopped. He stumbles over a rock. But he treads through the forest almost silently despite everything.   
Sometimes Claude thinks he may as well be talking to the wind or the mountains or anything the way Dimitri reacts. Hardly at all.

Despite the silence, the most concrete way that Claude even knows Dimitri is here is by the pain in his body. Their soul link must figure if one of them has to be in pain then why not both of them? 

The pain is practically stabbing Claude his feet at the moment. 

Dimitri tenses all of a sudden. " Rats," he growls under his breath, before running towards the sound. Claude stops and turns. Dimitri is already far off, spear in hand, the same violent energy as before on the battlefield. 

Claude follows. His chest aches. Whatever this is, it's more urgent than spearing fish."

Claude draws Failnaught with a sigh. It's strange being on the ground for long periods of time. He misses his wyvern. But this isn't the time to worry. 

Judging by Dimitri's running. That isn't the only thing he'll miss if they screw up.

Dimitri throws his lance through the trees. Someone screams. Claude ducks behind a bush and aims. Bandits.

Of course bandits would have taken over the region around the monastery again. The war can't stop people from thieving apparently. 

There are about ten bandits or so. 

Claude looks at Dimitri closely, only moderately concerned Dimitri will kill him at this point.   
He looks bloodthirsty, Claude can feel his anger.   
Ripping through the battle. Having picked up his lance again without any hesitation. Kicking and punching through the fray. 

No wonder people call him the Tempest king. Claude isn't exactly certain who those people are, seeing as Dimitri is stabbing and kicking left and right.

Claude aims his bow. Dimitri is still a man and one-man army as he might be, even if he doesn't want to receive help, Claude's giving it. 

He shoots one man in the arm, another in the skull. 

The battle doesn't drag out for long, gruesome as it is. 

Dimitri pulls his lance out of the bloodied ground with a sort of snarl. 

Claude feels the aches and pains in his body increase again. 

" The rats are gone," Dimitri says. Looking up towards the sky.

Claude steps forward and Dimitri snaps his head towards him. 

Had he even known Claude was there. Something in his eye tells Claude no.

Dimitri has all sorts of problems it seems.

Claude sighs. " If you had told me there were bandits there I- we could have come up with a plan."

Claude goes for gentle. He tries to keep the edge out of his voice, tired as he is. 

Dimitri glares at him in response. 

" Is that what you had to do to survive, Dimitri? Kill by yourself? I'm trying to help you but-'" as he steps closer, Dimitri regards him almost blankly. " I need… I'd like you to talk to me."

" They're dead." 

" Okay. Yeah but-"

" I don't need your help."

Dimitri puts one hand to his arm and grimaces. 

Claude's arm hurts the same. 

" Let me heal that for you, " he says, still getting closer. 

Dimitri shakes his head and jerks away. " Let's get back to the monastery. There isn't any time."

It's not the best advice Dimitri's ever given but it's not the worst either. 

"It's not a good idea to stop here. It'll be safer at Garreg Mach," Claude agrees, standing up and glancing around before going back in the direction towards the hopefully still relatively safe monastery. 

As if reading his mind, cold and low Dimitri says, " if any more come I will kill them. "

" Yeah, okay." It's probably better not to argue at this point. 

Claude's leg feels like it's on fire. Phantom blood seeps from the wound that isn't his own.   
Dimitri doesn't need to keep fighting like this. 

Thankfully, no more bandits come. 

And at least they don't have to deal with anyone from the imperial army right now. He doesn't say that. Dimitri already seems angry enough.  
The last thing he needs is to be reminded of Edelgard. 

The sun is in the sky. So it's around the afternoon. Easier to be spotted that way.

Two blooded injured war-torn princes. Though by now Dimitri's probably a king. If Claude went back to Almyra he could be as well. But it won't matter much if the Alliance is in shambles. 

The woods are almost uneventful now, not that Claude is complaining. 

Walking back like this almost reminds him of when Byleth rescued them all those years ago. Only if Edelgard were here now they'd all start fighting.

Pathways cluttered with debris from the battle before are still partially around. 

Dimitri wordlessly climbs over one. Claude sees him bite his lip. Pain sprockets through his body again. 

" Guess this is as safe as we're going to be," Claude remarks. Sitting down in the partially ruined courtyard. 

Dimitri makes a noise between a grunt and a laugh. Anguished and hollow. 

Claude pats the ground beside him.

" I know you're hurt, your kingliness, let's get you patched up."

" I'm not a king," Dimitri says. Frowning. Hovering beside the out-of-control hedges.

Claude fights the urge to sigh again.

" You won't be alive at all if you don't take care of yourself."

Dimitri stares then slowly gets closer and sits down.   
So Claude decides to keep talking.

"If you want your revenge we'll have to work together, you can't die. If you do then we'll both go down together. "

Claude feels bad over what's starting to like bribery. Dangling a revenge in Dimitri's lap that he isn't even sure can happen. Still, it's better than death.

At least Claude thinks so.

He scoots closer, keeping the ease about him. 

" I don't have much and we don't have a lot of supplies in the infirmary either. I'd like you to stop moving around so much and maybe eat."

Dimitri just stares at him. 

Claude has never had to blackmail someone into eating before but it looks like that's what it's going to come to that 

Dimitri doesn't move as Claude stands up.

" I know, you don't really care about eating or living but you'll at least survive for now right?"

Dimitri grumbles and follows him. 

He must have been happy outside, because when they approach the entrance to the dorms he looks angry. Claude can feel the upset in his chest. 

A priest walks by and Claude's chest tightens further. There's a part of him that wonders if Dimitri would kill them. He seems indifferent now when before he cared deeply about regular people. 

The people left in the monastery. He keeps walking thankfully.

" I don't think they were really expecting us to win… or be back so soon. That's why Hilda and the others are still out."

Sometimes, when Claude talks and can't look to see Dimitri's face, he wonders if he's actually listening. 

" Why did you come here… back to this place."

Ruined hallways, somber anxious starving people. It's not that they necessarily wanted to come back. His class had all come back here when there was little to no hope in the situation. 

There isn't much hope at all, even still. With so few people, with everyone thinking Dimitri was dead, with the Alliance practically split apart and the Faerghus nobles staging coups, it's eerie and not a good time for anyone. 

Claude chooses his words carefully. The situation is already bleak, why make it worse. 

" It seemed like a good place to come back to. To launch attacks from."

Dimitri says nothing. Their shared pain doesn't disappear in the slightest.

Dimitri lingers in the doorway. His hand brushes over the frame. 

" You'll have to take off your armor so I can treat you better. So I figured we should get inside, Claude explains.

" I don't care."

Dimitri stops in the hallway. That might be as good as Claude can get. Their rooms used to be close together… Still are. But five years can make such a difference.

Claude walks into the debatably organized space that is his room that he's recently started to inhabit again.   
" I keep vulnerarys and stuff like that in here," he says, as if talking will keep Dimitri there. 

Dimitri is still there.

" You don't need to heal me." 

" Well if that's fine with you… But I think our physical conditions are tied together. And I know that if I feel like crap then you must too.

" It doesn't matter," Dimitri says predictably. 

" Do you want the others to see you," he asks instead, trying a different approach. 

" No."

Though like this, he's barely recognizable. To most people anyway. He's changed. Grown, time and war wore on his face. But he's still Dimitri and Claude thinks he'd always be able to recognize him.

" You can stay in your room, or my room or wherever. I just thought… maybe you'd want to be here."

" I want to go to Embar and kill that woman."

So you keep saying, Claude doesn't say. Nor does he sigh like he feels like doing.

" I know. You should rest. I'm going to go to the infirmary, then to see what's going on with our troops. I'll leave this here for you."

Claude sets the vulnerary down.

" It's a waste of time," Dimitri mutters. "Go tend to yourself and leave me alone."

He's looking at the wall again. Pain surges through Claude's chest once more. 

Dimitri looks so distant sometimes. Most times. Claude wishes he could reach him. Metaphorically speaking. He's right here. Claude could touch him. He knows Dimitri wouldn't particularly like that so he doesn't. But he thinks that, as long as they're both alive, there might be hope. 

And hope or not, Claude won't stop trying. 

___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for reading!
> 
> @Tavitay on twitter!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thanks for reading this! I really wanted to write something about Gronder Field but I haven't finished the AM route yet so if this is completely inaccurate then... sorry.


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